Two goals in six second-half minutes put the Reds in control with Ryan Kent clinically dispatching Marley Watkins’ cross and Conor Hourihane’s exquisite effort giving the Reds a two-goal cushion.

Wood reduced the deficit from the spot after Marc Roberts was deemed to have handled a long ball but the Reds shut out the visitors late on to secure the three points.

The victory moves the Reds up to eighth in the table and they are now just four points behind sixth place Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds had the first effort of the game when Pablo Hernandez tried to lift the ball over Adam Davies with six minutes on the watch, but he failed to test the Welsh stopper, who comfortably gathered his effort.

Smart play from Ryan Kent enabled him to drift away from the Whites defenders and fire the Reds’ first effort on goal 11 minutes in, but Rob Green stooped to gather his shot.

The Whites took the lead with their first meaningful effort of the game just past the quarter hour mark as Pablo Hernandez’s corner was tapped home by Chris Wood from close range.

Reds captain Conor Hourihane was the first name in the book for a challenge in the middle of the pitch on Kemar Roofe and Wood was denied a second soon after by a superb block on the line from Gethin Jones.

Souleymane Doukara was next to chance his arm with a powerful effort from a tight angle but Davies was equal to his effort, pulling off a fine save to keep the Frenchman out.

Marley Watkins tried his luck with a smart turn and shot from the edge of the area but could not find a way past Rob Green.

Angus MacDonald, who scored his first Reds goal against Blackpool on Tuesday, came close to levelling 10 minutes before the break as he met Kent’s free kick, but a diving Green kept the centre-back at bay.

Marc Roberts climbed highest to meet another in-swinging Kent free kick but headed over the crossbar and Davies was alert to prevent Wood doubling his tally as he darted toward goal just before the break.

The Reds deservedly got themselves level on the stroke of half time as Hourihane’s quick thinking from a free kick saw him play in Adam Armstrong.

Faced by two defenders, Armstrong stood up a cross for Tom Bradshaw to glance the ball home past the reach of Green and level the scores.

It could have been even better for the Reds in stoppage time as MacDonald rose highest to meet a Hourihane delivery. Agonisingly for the defender, the ball drifted just wide of the far post with Green rooted.

HALF TIME: Barnsley 1-1 Leeds United.

The Reds returned for the second half fired up and took the lead three minutes into the second half with their first shot.

Watkins whipped a cross onto the edge of the area and Kent collected the ball smartly. He turned Lewie Coyle with ease and dispatched the ball clinically into the bottom corner.

There was further joy for the Reds moments later as they increased their lead through captain, Conor Hourihane.

The Reds were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area following a foul by Roofe on Josh Scowen. Hourihane rolled the ball to Scowen, who teed up the skipper to lash home from 25 yards into the top corner.

After a spell of calm from both sides, the Whites were quite literally handed a chance to get back into the game when Roberts was judged to have handled a long ball forward.

Wood stepped up from 12 yards and sent Davies the wrong way for his second goal of the evening.

Barnsley continued to threaten as Scowen set about charging at the heart of the Whites defence before being hacked down Eunan O’Kane, resulting in a yellow card for the Leeds midfielder.

From the resulting free kick, Scowen again teed up Hourihane but this time his effort was just too high before another powerful effort from the Whites brought a good save out of Davies.

Adam Armstrong chased hard to get onto the end of James Bree’s long punt forward but was deemed to have fouled Luke Ayling in the process, with the Newcastle United loanee cautioned for his actions.

Roberts prevented the flying Kyle Bartley from finding the back of the net three minutes from time with a stellar block but Leeds could have snatched a late equaliser themselves in stoppage time.

A cross from the right drifted through to Kemar Roofe who attempted to slide the ball home, but he failed to hit the target from close range.

And Dallas spurned the visitors’ best chance in the final minute of stoppage time when he let fly from the edge of the box, but saw his volley drift wide of the mark.

Substitute Adam Hammill attempted to show Dallas how it was done in stoppage time, but like Dallas, he failed to hit the target with a rasping drive.